Abdullah Gul failed to win backing from Turkey's main opposition in May [AFP] Opposition politicians rejected Gul over his alleged ties to political Islam, while many Turks feared that the government was trying to scrap Turkey's secular principles.

Widespread pro-secularist public street demonstrations came after Gul's nomination.

The main opposition party's boycott of the presidential vote meant that a quorum could not be reached - and prompted Erdogan to call a general election four months early.

Nazinine Moshiri, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Ankara, said the ruling party seems set to continue supporting its previous presidential candidate in a new parliamentary vote.

"It looks like the AKP still want to put Abdullah Gul forward but it seems that when the vote takes place next time, opposition parties will be there to vote," she said.

"The army generals say they will not be supporting Gul but there is not much they can do. In 2007, we are not expecting to see tanks rolling through the streets of Ankara."

Officers dismissed

Meanwhile, Turkey's armed forces announced on Saturday that 23 officers had been dismissed for "reactionary activities" or "acts prejudicial to the discipline and prestige of the armed forces".

The sackings were decided during the annual meeting of the Higher Military Council, which met for four days under the chairmanship of Erdogan.

The army, which considers itself guardian of the country's secular tradition, has sacked dozens of men suspected of harbouring Islamist views in recent years.

The armed forces threatened to intervene over Erdogan's attempt to get Gul into the presidential office earlier this year.